The Best Kept Secret in SW Florida!

I admit it - I love going on vacation! And while I like to stay in nice hotels, it's not usually the main event! Until now, the Wingate Inn has been my favorite place to stay - free internet access, free breakfast (have you had their waffles?), spacious rooms...what more could a girl (let alone mother of a very active little boy) ask for? But now, I have found the ultimate hotel...ah hem, resort!

I'd heard tales of this wonderful place from my friend Kelly...but I must admit, when I first drove up, my first thought was, "This is it?" From the road, it doesn't look like much. You can't even see it from the main road - you have to drive a bit down Coconut Road to find it...but even then, at first glance, it doesn't appear to be a very nice hotel. Sure, there's valet parking and all - but it's not until you step inside the lobby that you begin to sense how great this place really is!

From the moment you check in to the Hyatt Coconut Point, you begin to feel like a princess (or prince, as the case may be)! The staff is amazing and whenever you thank them for their service, the reply (with a smile, no less) is always, "My pleasure!" There are 18 floors, and the rooms are every bit as spacious as Wingate - my now 2nd favorite hotel! The only downfall to the Hyatt Coconut Point is (1) the price per night (big thanks to David's work for sending us here!) and (2) you have to pay for internet access. Thankfully, my trusty Blackberry phone gives me broadband access to the internet...so I didn't need to worry about that! :)Enough about the negatives...let's focus on the positives (and this place certainly has plenty to focus on)! This is certainly the best place to take a family vacation or host an event - there's something here for EVERYONE! First of all, the views are fabulous! No matter where you go on the property, you are surrounded by a tropical paradise! They have three fabulous pools - one just for adults, one for families (with a zero entry on one side and a fun waterslide on the other), and a waterfall pool for everyone (except Christopher who thinks it's dangerous - but is ok with the pool part if we stay away from the waterfall)!
I could just sit in the pools all day (fully sunblocked, of course). Once we discovered the zero entry Adventure Pool, that's where we spent the bulk of our time. It was easy access for Christopher to get in and out & I could lounge back in the water that was just deep enough to cover me, but shallow enough to stretch out my legs! Not to mention, the area around the pool was amazingly beautiful! Waiters & waitresses periodically visited the pool area, but never interrupted your fun - they were just available in case you needed something to eat and/or drink. Centrally located between the pools is a little outdoor restaurant where you can sit down at a table and get something to eat. And there's no need to worry about taking cash with you to the pool - everything can be charged to your room!
Last night, David had a dinner as part of the conference - so, Christopher spent the night with Grandma. The dinner was held near the waterfall pool and was fabulous! After dinner, David and I took a walk & found even more treasures on the property! There's a boardwalk that goes to the marina (pictured above with the hotel in the background), a fire pit for roasting marshmellows and/or making s'mores (they even sell the s'more kit in the Kofe Nut - a little coffee shop & convenience store in the lobby area), and a rock wall! I told David that I really want to come back sometime when we can spend time together at the hotel (he was at conferences during most of our stay) - maybe for our anniversary or something. I think this would also be a great place for a family reunion...that is if our family would make the trip!

Oh, by the way, just in case all the amenities on the property aren't enough...just across the main road (US 41), is a HUGE outdoor mall! We went there for dinner Wednesday & Thursday nights and saw just a portion of all they have there. I'm going to have to go back sometime and really check out the place (one of the advantages of living nearby). It's just about a 30 minute drive from our house - not really in town, but close enough!

P.S. All pictures included in this post were taken by me on the property of Hyatt Coconut Point - isn't this place absolutely amazing???